"Life's About Changing"

2001

We got together  All of us. My dad and mom, the four daughters and the daughters families. It was kind of a big deal.  It hadn't happened in 13 years. All of us in the same place at the same time.  We are spread out now. We live in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Romania. Yes, Romania. Now you know why it's hard to get together.  My sister Melissa, her husband Brad and son, Luke live in Romania. They are home for a few months for their son Matthew's graduation from Liberty University and his upcoming wedding in July.

It was just like the old days but different. We laughed about things that had happened in the past. I teared up too many times to count. Some things never change.

I looked around and committed to memory the smile on my mom's face. There is no smile like a mom's smile when her nest is full and all of her babies are home. She cooked and prepped all day long just so everything would be just right. And it was. Just right. Just like home.

My dad's laugh is contagious. When my dad, my husband and my brother in law, Brad get together there is sure to be a laugh fest going on.  Dad's laugh never changes. It's always the same. He tells stories and jokes and keeps people in stitches. It's what he does.  I commit his laugh to my memory.

There are changes in our family. We have grown up, we've married, had children, moved from one place to another. Our children are growing and marrying and moving away. We are older. Our hair is graying. (Well everyone's but mine anyway, LOL!) We are the same but different. We've had ups and downs like every other family, we don't do everything the right way, but we've stayed the course. We came together in love and unity and it was like we had never left. 

I've committed to memory the smiles and laughter. These are the things that we will cling to when life changes. When we are not together and mountains and oceans separate us. We will need to remember this past weekend and  the good times of the past.  The memories that have held us together all of these years.

These are the people that I hold very dear to my heart.  Family...and until we meet again...Fifi.

2014